I work as a public health Officer in the Ghana Health Services as Disease Control Officer at the Ayensuano district of the Eastern Region. I function as coordinator for Immunization Services in my District where I am highly involved in planning, supervision and monitoring of immunization services. The major challenge I have realised in my district as a result of scarcity of resources, EPI service there are a lot of missed opportunities as a result of inadequacy of human, financial and transportation to serve all eligible children. In addressing this challenge I intend to use integrating of immunization services throughout the life course.

Description of the main integrating of immunization services throughout the life course.

Most missed opportunities occur in the district due to the fact that, most only CHN’s and FT’s are dedicated to performing immunization services and therefore whereas midwifes, physician Assistants and Enrolled Nurses who attend to most clients are not involved in immunization. only a few of the cadre of staff are involved and this contributes to most children and women missed after several visits to the hospital.

Identify all the strengths in the system that would support integrating of immunization services throughout the life course.

With little training and motivation, all staff could actively be involved in immunization services. With few revisions of the job description and policy update all health activity can involve immunization activities.

Identify potential barriers/weaknesses that could diminish the effect integrating of immunization services throughout the life course.

The potential barriers could be the human resource gab where a few Health workers have so much to do that the quality of care provision is compromised.

Some of the weaknesses are

in the system include poorly motivated health workers mainly due to work overwhelming load, inadequate supportive supervision and poor data quality, low private sector involvement in immunisation service. These are the NGO’s; hospital can contribute a lot in improving immunization performance.

Opportunities in the current context that could support/boost integrating of immunization services throughout the life course.

Due to the dwindling inflow of resources the best way to establish a sustainable way of improving immunization coverage and reducing missed opportunities is integrating at all levels through the life course.

Identify potential threats/risks in implementing integrating of immunization services throughout the life course.

The major potential threat in implementing this model may include over integrating which may affect the quality of care provided at each visit.